SAT and ACT dates for 2026-27
Every published test date, with the deadlines attached to it. Including the four that are easy to miss because no board puts them in the same table as the test: the SAT device request, the free score sends, the cancellation cutoff, and the ACT photo upload.
SAT September 12, 2026. Regular registration has closed. Late registration runs to September 1, 2026. Scores on September 25, 2026.
ACT September 19, 2026. Regular registration has closed. Late registration runs to September 1, 2026. Photo by September 14, 2026, or you are not admitted.
SAT weekend dates
| Test | Device request | Register | Late | Cancel by | Sends lock | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 222026 | Jul 23 | Aug 7 | Aug 11 | Aug 29 | Aug 31 | Sep 4 |
| Sep 122026 | Aug 13 | Aug 28 | Sep 1 | Sep 19 | Sep 21 | Sep 25 |
| Oct 32026 | Sep 3 | Sep 18 | Sep 22 | Oct 10 | Oct 12 | Oct 16 |
| Nov 72026 | Oct 8 | Oct 23 | Oct 27 | Nov 14 | Nov 16 | Nov 20 |
| Dec 52026 | Nov 5 | Nov 20 | Nov 24 | Dec 12 | Dec 14 | Dec 18 |
| Mar 62027 | Feb 4 | Feb 19 | Feb 23 | Mar 13 | Mar 15 | — |
| May 12027 | Apr 1 | Apr 16 | Apr 20 | May 8 | May 10 | — |
| Jun 52027 | May 6 | May 21 | May 25 | Jun 12 | Jun 14 | — |
Rows in grey have already been sat. Device request, cancellation and score sends are worked out from the test date using rules College Board states in words rather than as dates, and those rules are quoted below.
ACT national dates
| Test | Register | Late | Photo | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 192026 | Aug 14 | Sep 1 | Sep 14 | Oct 6 |
| Oct 172026 | Sep 11 | Sep 29 | Oct 12 | Oct 27 · Oct 22 online |
| Dec 122026 | Nov 6 | Nov 29 | Dec 7 | Dec 22 |
| Feb 272027 | Jan 22 | Feb 9 | Feb 22 | Mar 16 |
| Apr 102027 | Mar 5 | Mar 23 | Apr 5 | Apr 20 |
| Jun 122027 | May 7 | May 25 | Jun 7 | Jun 23 |
| Jul 102027 | Jun 4 | Jun 22 | Jul 5 | Jul 20 |
The photo deadline is the one that catches people. Registration closing does not complete your registration, and without an approved photo you are not admitted, with no refund. Where the ACT score release splits, the second date is online testing, which is released earlier.
The three SAT deadlines that are rules, not dates
“You must complete your request at least 30 days before your test day to allow adequate shipping time.”
Submitting a request does not guarantee a device.
College Board’s page for this“Your request must be submitted through your College Board account by no later than 11:59 p.m. ET 1 week after your Test date.”
A cancelled score is not reported to you either.
College Board’s page for this“You also have until nine days after the test to use or change your free score sends.”
Score Choice does not cover the free sends chosen at registration.
College Board’s page for thisWhere these come from, and when they were last checked
SAT dates read from College Board on August 24, 2026, ACT dates from ACT on August 24, 2026. Our build refuses to publish this page if either has gone more than 30 days without being read again, so a date here is never older than that even when nobody has thought about it.
Deadlines still move, and the boards are the authority rather than this page. The source for each is linked here: SAT dates, SAT score releases, ACT dates, ACT photo requirements.
What each deadline actually costs you if you miss it is worked through in the journal: the device loan cutoff, the free score sends, the ACT photo deadline, and registering before a score arrives.